“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
Because he has anointed me
To preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to
proclaim freedom for the prisoners
And recovery of sight for the blind,
To release the oppressed,
To proclaim the year of the Lord´s favor.”
– JESUS
(Luke 4)
Our God is a God of FREEDOM. This is my story. This is my message. I will not be silent. I will proclaim freedom every day of my life.
Last night, God asked me to proclaim this message to His people here in Palenque. A week prior, He had given me the words, and I had translated them so as to give the message in Spanish. The Lord also gave me a vision of many people coming. He told me that He wanted to set His captives free!
The message of freedom is near and dear to my heart. You see, I was in captivity for about twelve years of my life, spanning from when I was a child (prior to knowing Christ) and into my early adulthood (even after I knew the Lord). To those who have known me during those years, do not feel bad if you didn’t know… it was a secret bondage… no one knew.
I have struggled with impurity most of my life. For many years, it took the form of impure thoughts and masturbation. For another year, it stepped into pornography. For some, this may not even seem like a big deal, but I assure you – it was a stronghold of the devil in my life. I share this with you (so many that I know SO well, and many more I’ve never met) because I no longer believe that I am the only one in the world that struggles with impurity, and I do not want anyone to have to live under the oppression of the enemy like I did for so many years. I am willing to be undignified and humiliated in my own eyes (humbled, NOT ashamed), if it will unmask the schemes of the enemy and tell even one person out there that you’re not alone.
I believed the lies of the enemy. I hated myself. I absolutely despised myself. I believed that I was disgusting, unwanted, unlovable. I believed that if anyone knew, they would reject me and somehow see me through a tainted lens.
I believed the lie that I could not tell
anyone,
ever. I was in the bondage of silence, secrecy and shame. So I didn’t
tell anyone… for twelve years. The catalyst for my confession was that I reached a point where I could no longer pray to or praise my Lord. It was like there was a wall between us. So I found this woman I didn’t really know (Cheri), cussed a LOT, and spoke the words that I had been holding in my whole life. That’s where the journey toward freedom began.
It is a process to learn to walk without chains. Fortunately, I was blessed with several amazing women to walk alongside me (mafia for life). I put of a “false self” when I was young, but He has gently removed that from me. Now I know who I am! I am a Daughter of the King. I am beautiful and lovely. I am pure and cleansed. I am a princess and a warrior, fierce in love and steadfast in spirit. This is why I’m so passionate about freedom: I have known the depths of captivity, the darkness of shame. Praise Jesus! He sets the captives free – HE SET ME FREE! Now, I dance! I sing! I shout! I am free!
Do you want to know the freedom of Jesus Christ?
This is my message… these are the words I declared in a small home in Palenque, Mexico last night. I believe this message is just as much for you as it was for them…
There is a spiritual war raging. Rest assured. God is victorious! When Jesus Christ died to take away the sins of the world and rose again, He defeated the enemy. Even though the earth belongs to the Lord (Ps. 24:1, Ps. 22:28), the devil, a fallen angel, is trying to steal it. His dominion, a temporary and defeated rule, is a dominion of darkness.
What do we know about this dominion of darkness?
– We know that the devil seeks to devour, steal, kill, and destroy. The enemy wants to steal from you! Do not be misled – he wants to destroy you!
– We also know that the devil is a liar. Jesus often taught using stories and analogies, but He is very direct when saying, “He (the devil) was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
The devil wants to destroy us, but he doesn’t have any real weapons! Realizing this may change entirely the way you see the spiritual battle. All the devil has are words, lies… that’s it!
I have experienced this dominion of darkness in my own life. I know what it is to be tormented, to feel trapped. I have lived with the lies. You see, the devil wants to keep us bound, because he knows what when we are free, we are powerful in the Name of Jesus Christ!
Here is the good news:
“He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.” Colossians 1:13
If you are reading this, and you do not know Jesus, I offer you Light in the midst of darkness. (John 8:12, Luke 4:18-19). If you already know Jesus, be aware that you can still walk in darkness (1 John 1:5-7,
read this). There have been times that I have
chosen to walk in darkness. You see, the devil makes grand promises about sin. He tells us that sin will satisfy and fill us. These are lies! The Truth is that sin will
always leave us empty. Always.
God wants you to be free. And there are many things that you may need freedom from.
Here are some, just to get us started:
– Unconfessed sin. The enemy will tell you not to tell anyone – to keep it a secret between you and him. But we have to confess our sins! Get this: 1 John 1:9 says that “When we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness!”
– Shame. Shame’s message is that we are the only ones who struggle with a particular thing in a particular way. This is always a lie. We are called to be forgiven, not ashamed! You do not have to live with shame for another day! Psalm 103:1-2 says that “those who look to Him are radiant, their faces are never covered with shame!” This is the Truth.
– Fear. You do not have to be afraid of anything, ever again in your life. 1 John 4:18 assures us that God’s perfect love casts out all fear. In Isaiah 41:10, God tells us “Do not fear, for I am with you.” When the Bible speaks of the fear of the Lord, it refers to reverence. All other fear is from the enemy, and we do not have to tolerate it in our lives.
– Worry. You never have to worry about anything. In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus tells us not to worry about what we will eat or drink or wear, for God takes care of the birds and the flowers of the field. He knows our needs and will take care of us! He instructs us to seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness, and everything we need will be provided for us. Be free from worry!
There are plenty of other things that we may need freedom from (You know what they are). Most likely there are specific lies from the enemy in your life. Jesus is the way, the Truth, and the life. If you’re having trouble finding the truth in the midst of lies, ask for help – email me!
Lastly, remember that once you take your freedom back, you must fight to keep it! The enemy does not like us to be free! Remember that “He who the Son has set free is free indeed!” (John 8:36)
CLAIM YOUR FREEDOM EVERY DAY!
